Artificial kindling



Oct. 29, 1957 E. R. SMITH ARTIFICIAL KINDLING Filed Dc. 20. 1955 EIE :l

INVENTORQ mfl e 5% M 0 Rd F F m n m QM 4 Ha United States PatentARTIFICIAL KINDLING Elizabeth R. Smith, Kentfield, Calif. ApplicationDecember 20, 1955, Serial No. 554,171

3 Claims. (CI. 44-41) This invention relates to a fire kindler and moreparticularly relates to an inexpensive igniter which is adapted to beused in lighting a fire in a stove, fireplace, barbecue or the like. Thedevice of the present invention is adapted to be readily ignitable bythe application of a small flame such as a match, and will burn for aconsiderable period of time so that the device is capable of ignitingwood, charcoal or the like without the necessity of resorting tokindling.

One essential feature of the present invention is that it is made of anabsorbent piece of material with a wax coating which is substantiallyentirely on the surface. As the wax melts, the excess wax will beabsorbed by the absorbent material and will not drip onto the bottom ofa fireplace or the like.

The igniter of the present invention also has no inherent fire hazardand can be stored indefinitely at normal temperatures without fear ofdecomposition or spontaneous combustion.

In the drawings forming a part of this application:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an igniter made in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the igniter hasbeen generally designated 3 and consists of a rectangular member of anyconvenient size. In one practical embodiment of the invention, theigniter was about six inches long, about three inches wide, and aboutfiveeighths inch thick. However, it is obvious that the principles ofthe present invention can be applied to igniters of various sizes. Theigniter has a central body portion 4, which is preferably of a feltedcellulose material. One material which was found particularly suitableis sold under the name of Tuffiex, and consists of a felted cellulosebatting derived from wood fibers. However, other coarse felted materialssuch as those made from cotton linters or the like may be used. Theoutside of the mat 4 is coated with a froth of candle wax 5. The frothcandle wax is prepared by heating a body of ordinary candle wax, whichmay consist of paraflin wax or of ice parafiin wax with minor amounts ofoleic acid and/or other waxes, to its melting temperature, which willordinarily be in the range of -135 F. After the wax is all molten, it iscooled slightly so that a surface scum forms on the wax. A high speedstirrer in the vessel is then started and this draws the surface scumand some air into the wax, making a somewhat frothy wax which contains aconsiderable amount of entrained air. The batting 4 is then dipped intothe wax and, since the wax is substantially at its melting temperatureor even slightly below, and contains entrapped air, it does notsubstantially penetrate the batting 4, but forms a surface coating 5 onthe batting with entrapped air as at 7. After the batting has beendipped and acquires its surface coating, an ordinary candle wick 6 maybe pressed into the top surface. This serves as an easy means ofigniting the kindler with a match or the like.

Since the wax 5 has not substantially impregnated the cellulose material4, the material 4 remains in a condition where it can absorb aconsiderable additional quantity of wax. Therefore, when the device isignited, and the wax becomes partially molten, instead of dripping fromthe device, the surplus wax is absorbed into the cellulose material 4and subsequently burns. In this manner, the wax is not wasted, nor is itallowed to drip in unsightly manner onto the bottom of a fireplace orthe like.

If desired, the wax may be dyed in some desired color. Any type ofcandle wax may be used, but ordinary paraflin wax has been found to becompletely satisfactory. The wax may be mixed with powdered charcoal oran odorant may be added to the wax so that it gives off a pleasant odorupon burning. Or, an ingredient may be added to produce vari-coloredflames.

I claim:

1. A fire kindler comprising a central body portion of coarse feltedcellulose fibers the interior of said central body portion beingsubstantially free of wax and a surface coating thereon comprisingcandle wax with air entrained therein.

2. The igniter of claim 1 wherein a wick is pressed into one side of thebody.

3. The method of making a fire kindler comprising heating a body ofcandle wax to at least its melting temperature, cooling the wax slightlywhereby a surface scum is formed, agitating the wax to draw the scuminto the body of the wax and to introduce air into the wax to produce afrothy wax and dipping a felted cellulose material into said body offrothy wax whereby the wax forms a surface coating over said body butdoes not substantially pene trate the interior of said body.

Macleay et al. Oct. 5, 1937 Haymond Feb. 1, 1938

1.A FIRE KINDLER COMPRISING A CENTRAL BODY PORTION OF COARSE FELTEDCELLULOSE FIBERS THE INTERIOR OF SAID CENTRAL BODY PORTION BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF WAX AND SURFACE COATING THEREON COMPRISING CANDLEWAX WITH AIR ENTRAINED THEREIN.